RAS question
From how many countries does India currently source its energy imports, as stated by PM Modi in Parliament?
Correct answer: (C) 41 countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in the Rajya Sabha that India currently imports energy from 41 countries.
Explanation
The PMO transcript places the figure in the context of the West Asia conflict and its effect on energy security. PM Modi said the war had created a severe global energy crisis, affecting trade routes and routine supplies of petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers. He then described diversification of energy imports as one of India’s resilience-building measures. The key comparison is explicit: earlier, India imported crude oil, LNG and LPG from 27 countries; today, India imports energy from 41 countries. This wider sourcing base is meant to reduce dependence on any single supply channel and support continuous availability during disruption.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Twenty-one countries is too low; the PMO transcript gives the current energy-import figure as 41 countries.
- (B) Thirty-one countries does not match the stated figure; PM Modi said the present count is 41 countries.
- (D) Fifty-one countries overstates the statement in Parliament, which records India’s current energy imports as coming from 41 countries.
Concept
This tests current-affairs awareness of India’s energy-security strategy, especially diversification of import sources during geopolitical disruption. RAS often asks such figures because they connect international events with India’s economic resilience and supply-chain planning.